By Keith Hickey

0

Aug 28, 2013 1:30:00 AM

The Seattle chapter of the American Outlaws will take the lead in organizing U.S. men's national team support.

UPDATED: Thursday, Aug. 29, 2:26 p.m. ET

An American Outlaws official has informed Goal that the United States Soccer Federation and the American Outlaws supporters group will put the fan group's Seattle chapter in charge of all game day operations for all U.S. men's national team games.

According to the official, leaders from the Seattle chapter were on a conference call with representatives from the U.S. Soccer Federation, the American Outlaw and local Columbus supporters groups to discuss the Seattle chapter's involvement in organizing the songs and chants in the official USA supporters section starting in Columbus on Sept. 10 in a match against Mexico. It was initially believed that their expenses for the trips would be covered by U.S. Soccer.

However, both the USSF and AO have denied these claims.

"The reports that state U.S. Soccer and AO have put the Seattle AO chapter in charge of the supporters section for this game, or any in the future, is inaccurate," U.S. Soccer manager of communications Neil Buethe told Goal in an email.

An American Outlaws statement read: "Neither the American Outlaws or the US Soccer Federation are paying for any capo to fly to this game or any future game. The tifo at this crucial qualifier will be organized and run by AO Columbus and local supporters."

Although the USSF has confirmed that a conference call did take place and there are several accounts of the call on several soccer websites and social networks, a U.S. Soccer representative said that there may have been some confusion regarding Seattle's involvement and that in no way did the federation agree to pay for travel costs.